Adjectives ending in -ing and -ed (boring/bored)

Many English adjectives are formed from verbs by adding -ing or -ed. The -ing form describes something that causes a feeling. The -ed form describes the feeling experienced by a person (or sometimes an animal).

• - Use -ing when the thing produces an emotion: The report was interesting.
• - Use -ed when someone feels the emotion: I was interested in the report.
• - These adjectives often follow linking verbs (be, feel, seem) or go before nouns: a boring meeting, I feel bored.
• - In business English, choose the correct form to describe reactions (clients, employees) versus characteristics of documents, meetings, presentations.

Remember the main difference:

• - Use -ing to describe what causes the feeling (a boring report, an exciting announcement).
• - Use -ed to describe how a person feels (I was bored, we felt excited).
• - With linking verbs (be, feel, seem), the -ed form describes the subject's state: She is confused.
• - Before nouns, use the -ing form as an attributive adjective: a tiring day, an interesting proposal.

Think: -ing = causing; -ed = experienced

Learners often mix up -ing and -ed. Watch for these frequent errors:

• - Saying 'I am boring' when you mean 'I am bored' (people feel -ed).
• - Saying 'The meeting was bored' instead of 'The meeting was boring' (things cause -ing).
• - Using -ing after stative verbs incorrectly: avoid 'I am seeing it is confusing' — choose correct tense and adjective form.
• - Confusing cause vs experience: -ing describes what causes the feeling, -ed describes who feels it.

Check who or what is the subject: if it's a person who feels something, use -ed.